Wind-wheel



(No Modfal.) O. THOMPSON" 2Sheets- -Sheet 1.

. Wind Wheel.

-Nd. 235,470. Patented Dec. 14,1880.

N.PETERS, FHOTO LITNOGRAFHEE WASHINGTON. D. C,

- (no mam 0. 'D. THOMPSON. 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

' Wind Wheel No". 235,470. Patented eb. .14., 1880.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR TORNEYS.

V ".FETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTONv D, C.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS D. THOMPSON, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

WIND-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,470, dated December 14, 188C.

Application filed August 11, 1380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS D. THOMPSON, of Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wind-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a novel construction, arrangement, and operation of the windwheel and the vane with relation to each other, whereby provision is made for throwing the wheel out of the wind when the current is too strong, and for adjusting the sails of the wheel to accommodate it to the force of the wind.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my improvements, partly in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a side view at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the line as w of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a portable frame-work, which supports the working parts of the apparatus,

' said frame work tapering toward its top, which is provided with a metallic cap, B. In the frame-work A, below the cap B, is a metallic plate, 0. and said cap B and plate 0 are each provided with a circular opening, forming bearings for a tubular vertical shaft, D. The lower end of this shaft is provided with a collar, d, attached below the plate 0, to preven said shaft from rising out of place.

The upper end of the tubular shaft D is rigidly attached to a plate, E, on theunder side of which is an annular shoulder, f, which rests on the top of the cap B.

At one end of the plate E, on the upper side, is a block, g, and at the other end is an arm, G, which'forms the arm of the vane. On the top of the block 9 and arm G are journal-boxes h h, in which works a crank-shaft, J, one end of which extends beyond the arm of the vane and carries the wind-wheel.

To the crank of the shaft J is connected the lower end of a pitman, K, the upper end of which is pivoted by a bolt, t, to a yoke, l, at the upper end of a pump-rod, L, which works through the tubular vertical shaft D. The bolt tworks in a slot in a brace, m, attached to the plate E, and thus insures a rectilineal ver- (No model.)

tical motion of the pump-rod when the crankshaft revolves.

The wind-wheel is constructed as follows: From the center extend radial arms N, at the extremities of which are screw-bolts a, provided with nuts n These bolts pass through cross bars or plates 19, which lie on the inner side of the band of the wheel, and through similar bars or plates 19 which lie on the outer side of said band. The ends of these bars or plates are turned down and up, respectively, against the outer edges of the band, which edges are serrated or roughened at the points of contact, in order to secure the proper engagement, and the nuts n are placed on the bolts n outside of the bars or plates 19 The band of the wheel consists of two hoops, M M arranged side by side, as shown in Fig. 1, with suflicient space to admit the passage of the bolts n between their inner edges.

The sails Q are taperin gin form, being widest at their outer ends. Each sail is provided with a single pivot, q, projecting from its inner end, and two pivots, s s, projecting from its outer end. The inner pivot, q, is inserted in a socket in a hub or band, m near the center of the wheel, and the outer pivots, 8 .9 work respectively in the hoops M M When it is desired to adjust the sails to different angles, in order to accommodate them to the force of the wind, the nuts n are loosened,

so as to allow the hoops M M to move independently of each other. Then by moving one of said hoops in one direction or the other the sails Q are inclined more or less with relation to the axis of the wheel, and are held fast in whatever position they are placed by tightening the nuts n so as to clamp the hoops M M firmly between the plates or bars 1919 The arm G, before referred to, extends parallel withthe plane of revolution of the wheel to a point beyond the periphery of said wheel, where the vane is attached to it. The vane V is provided with an extension, o, projecting at an obtuse an gle from the body or main portion, as shown. The vane is attached to the arm by a pivot, so as to allow it to oscillate thereon in a horizontal plane.

To the vane is attached an arm, '0 to which is connected one end of a rod, R, the other end of which is connected to the upper arm of a lever, T, pivoted to the inner end of the arm (l. Thelowerend of the lever carries a weight, \V, which holds the vane at right angles with the plane of the wheel or parallel with its axis, except when overcome by the force of the wind.

In Figs. 1 and 3 the arrows 1 and .2 indicate the direction of the wind, and in Fig. ll the wind is supposed to be in the direction of the line of vision, so that the wheel receives the wind on what may be called the rear side.

The parts are so adjusted with relation to each other that when the wind becomes too strong for the safety of the wheel its action on the extension 1' of the vane will cause said extension to travel in the direction indicated by the dotted line 3 in Fig.1 and place the vane in the position shown in Fig". L, and then cause the wheel to swing around on the vertical shaft 1), so as to be out of the wind, in which position it will be held by the force of the wind upon the extension r until the wind subsides, whereupon the weight T will cause I the vane to resume its formerposition. so asto i allow the wheel to swing, around to the wind again.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the hoops M M and the sails Q, of theplates or bars p p, bolts 01, nuts M, and arms or spokes N, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The combination, with the wind wheel and its crank-shaft J of the pitman K, yoke l, pump-rod L, and brace m, as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the windwheel and its shaft and connecting devices, of the arm G, the vane V, pivoted thereto and provided with the obtuse-angled extension 1', and the arm 1- red It, lever T, and weight W, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

OTIS D. THOMPSON.

Witnesses W. FIsII, \ViLLna E. WINEGARDNER. 

